Christmas Miracle
by Courage of Awesome
Summary: AU. Christmas One-shot. LinkxOC. Ivy, a girl with a fragile constitution who always gets sick at winter, lets her friends take her up on their annual ski vacation. Once there, tragedy strikes and she and her crush, Link, are trapped inside the cabin. Will they be saved? Will they die? Will love blossom between the two of them?


**Well, it's that time of year… Christmas! I'll admit it, I'm not much for Christmas when it comes to all of the carols… I get a little sick of hearing the same songs over and over again, but I love the actual holiday. So, in the spirit of Christmas, I present this Smash Bros. AU to you all. Mind that this is an OC and Link fic.**

 **I do not own any of the franchises affiliated with Smash Bros.**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

December twentieth, five days till Christmas. Five days till Holiday Armageddon. As for right now in the present, I was stuck in a van with my friends from university. We were on our way to a cabin we rented from a ski lodge in the mountains for winter vacation. It was an annual thing, but this was my first time going, having been sick every other time. Don't get me wrong—I was sick this year too, but at the insistence of a friend of mine, Shulk, I was going anyway.

 _"It'll be a blast!" he had said. "I'm really feeling it this year! C'mon!"_

 _"Shulk, I'm sick," I tried, making my point with a well-placed cough. I rubbed at my nose, the skin red and a little irritated. "I'll die." Okay, that may have been an exaggeration, but still._

 _"Please, Ivy. It hasn't been the same without you there. And it's only for a couple of days."_

 _I groaned in exasperation. Rubbing at my head, scratching my scalp, I sighed. "Fine! But don't say I didn't warn you when the cabin is covered in my sick-person germs and mucous."_

 _Shulk made a face. "Gross."_

 _I simply shrugged._

That had been yesterday. We've been driving for hours now, and I was extremely tired. To make matters worse, I was shoulder to shoulder with the person centered around the biggest crush I have ever had. And it wasn't just a school girl crush. I was actually dreaming of futures with this man! His name was Link. He was a quiet kind of person, maybe a bit broody at times, but he was a good friend.

Link, at least to me, had been handcrafted by God. He had chiseled features consisting of a strong jaw, high cheekbones, and an angular but pixie-like nose. Link also had a few abnormalities about him as well, mainly his ears. Link suffered from an extreme case of Stahl's Ear, a birth defect that gave him pointed ears. Stahl's Ear didn't usually affect people to the degree that Link had it, but he was unable to do anything about it. It was easier to fix while young, though not impossible to do in later years, but Link's family never had enough money. Link's sister, Zelda, suffered from Stahl's Ear as well.

I was sure that each time I coughed or sneezed Link would flinch away. I _wasn't_ sure if it was from the volume, his ears enhancing the sound, or if he didn't want my germs. Either way, it made me feel a little bad.

"Look, everyone! We're here!" cried Palutena from the driver's seat. Her green hair was pulled up into a high bun as to avoid sitting on it, little ringlets on the side of her face swaying with every move. Her equally green eyes shined with mirth as she gazed up at the rented cabin nestled into the side of the mountain. She squealed. "I can't wait to get in there!"

I watched as Link rolled his eyes, chuckling at the girl's excitement. "Glad to see you so ready, Polly," he joked.

"Oh, hush up back there, Christmas elf!" she retorted.

Having never seen so much irritation in one look, I snorted a laugh. However, when Link turned that glare on me, I looked away, coughing awkwardly. "Eh, um, Robin! What are your plans once we settle in."

The silverette hummed in contemplation. "I don't know yet. I could go check the slopes… or I could go into town and look for some gifts… there's so many options," he drawled, considerately. "What do you think, Luce?"

Lucina, or Luce as she was better known, shook her head, cobalt locks swinging in a ponytail. "Don't drag me into this. You don't listen to half of my suggestions. You know best after all."

"Hmm."

The car pulled to a halt and we all piled out into the winter weather. Falling snow immediately started to pile on our shoulders and in the folds of our clothes. I couldn't wait to get out of this cold and into the warm cabin.

Palutena's little brother, Pit, dashed up to the front porch to unlock the cabin. He stepped inside only to immediately bolt right back out and run back to us. "It's freezing in there!" he exclaimed. "I would say it's colder in there than out here."

" _Greeeaaat,_ " I groaned sarcastically.

A long arm was thrown over my shoulder. I looked up to see Bayonetta grinning down at me, a sucker—lollipop—whatever you want to call it—between her perfectly colored lips. "Relax, little one!" she sung. "We'll get it warmed up in no time at all… of course, if it were to remain cold in there… a certain someone could certainly _warm_ you up in a different way!"

A violent blush attacked my cheeks as I shot a glance a Link, hoping he hadn't heard me. I chose to "ignore" Bayonetta's suggestive notion. "Who are you calling little?" I asked instead, changing the subject.

"Why, you, my dear! You're so short that even if you were to be squashed by a boot, you'd survive by hiding between the grooves of the bottom!"

"I'm only five-foot-five! That's average! I can't help but seem short when I stand next to an Amazon like you! You're only seven feet!" I exclaimed. It was an exaggeration, but Bayonetta was a good six-foot-five, towering over most men. She was lucky that her boyfriend Luka, who she left back at the university, was a gracious six-foot-seven. A whole two inches taller.

Bayonetta seemed to not have heard me, continuing on her rant. "You're so short that if you were to sit on an ant, your legs would still dangle off the floor! You're so short—"

"Okay! Okay! I get it!" I shouted at last.

The Amazonian only snickered as Shulk made his way over to us to join the fun, draping his arm over my shoulder as well, laying it atop Bayonetta's. "Lighten up, Ivy," he said. "It's Christmas."

I held up my finger, brushing off their arms. "Uh, correction? It's five days till Christmas. I'm sick as a dog and not in the mood for bull from either of you."

"Scrooge," the voluptuous raven murmured, running her long fingers through her short and stylish hair.

I sighed deeply. "You guys know I'm not much for Christmas. I've always had a weak constitution and I'm always sick this time of year. I'm surprised I can even stand up right now. Plus, I don't have any family to even celebrate with." I rubbed my nose, eliciting a sneeze.

"Fine, fine," my blonde friend dismissed. "And for the record, we're your family. But enough about that, we should probably get you inside before you catch your death out here." Shulk ushered me inside, the others having already gone in. A fire was going already, warmth slowly creeping around the rustic cabin. "Here we are," Shulk announced, closing the door behind us. He situated me in front of the fireplace.

"What about the bags?" I inquired, moving to stand back up.

Shulk just sat me down again. "I've got it." He went back out to the van, not giving me much of choice in the matter. Shulk was definitely a freethinker, marching to the beat of his own drum.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Bayonetta asked, listening to my next bout of coughing. "I could conjure something up for you."

I knew it was a joke, but that little comment spoke volumes about Bayonetta's heritage. The woman actually came from a long line of ancient witches; her ancestors were even persecuted in the Salem witch trials. Needless to say, it was a good thing they had children _before_ being burned at the stake, or else our Bayonetta might have never been born. Once she found out about her heritage, Bayonetta became obsessed with magic. She even changed her major to anthropology, but I suspected Bayonetta dabbled in the physical aspects of sorcery as well.

I nodded appreciatively. "Water, if you wouldn't mind. I need to take my pills." I dug in my satchel for my pill bottle, smiling softly as I found it. Bayonetta returned moments later with a glass of water in hand. I took it, swallowing my pill with a gulp. "Thank you."

"No worries, doll. Now, I'm going to unpack. You just wait here and warm up." I nodded as she headed upstairs. "Shout if you need something!" she called out, turning the corner.

I sat in front of the fire for about five more minutes before I felt a stirring in my stomach. It was a strange feeling; kind of like the one you get when you look out from something high, but in the stomach. My hand clenched at the shirt fabric stretched across my torso. A rumbling sound came from deep within my stomach, acid in my throat.

 _Uh, oh,_ I thought, slapping a hand over my mouth. Bolting up, I darted down the hall, narrowly avoiding a collision with Link and Roy—a fiery redhead— slamming the door as I entered the bathroom. I just barely made it to the toilet before I tossed the hamburger I had on the way up here into the porcelain bowl.

It had begun.

* * *

Three days into our vacation and I hadn't moved from my bed. I was pretty sure I was actually dying… okay, maybe not, but it sure felt like it. All I could do was stare up into the beams and rafters of the cabin as the thermometer slowly checked my temperature. At the sound of the beep, Shulk was by my side, taking the tool out of my mouth to read it.

"One hundred and four," he murmured. "Raging fever… Well, I guess you were right. You shouldn't have come after all."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, no," I faked a gasp. "I just had to come! This has been such an experience for me! Instead of staring up at the popcorn ceiling of the dorm, I get to stare up at the rustic charm that is the cabin."

"No need for the sarcasm and sass, missy."

"Hey, I'm an art student," I answered, pushing my thick-framed glasses up my nose. "It's the only defense I got."

Shulk thumped my forehead with a flick of his fingers. "Yeah, yeah," he said. "Anything I can do?"

Taking my glasses off and placing them on the bedside table, I threw an arm over my face before burying it into my pillow. I moaned and groaned, my body achy. My stomach swirled and churned. "You could get me some narcotics to knock me out."

A snort passed through the blonde's nose. "I can't administer those. I'm not a doctor. You'd be better off talking to Polly about that."

I groaned again, rolling back over. "You're a biomechanical and a biological engineer. Surely you can do something."

Shulk sighed, sitting on the side of the bed. He took his hands and brushed away a few brown strands that stuck to my sweaty, pale face. "I can grow body parts or replace them with machines. Take your pick."

The idea that Shulk was actually offering this seemed strange to me… then I realized I was being delusional. Shulk was simply throwing my own sarcasm back at me. "A new set of lungs would be nice. Mine fill like they're filled with spider webs and syrup." Shulk shot me a look of confusion and disgust. "What? You try breathing with them. You'd say the same thing." It was then that I noticed how quiet the cabin was. "Where is everyone?"

"Last minute Christmas shopping. I'm about to go and join them." He glanced down at his watch. "Speaking of which, I'm late." Rubbing my head one last time, Shulk stood. "Get some sleep. I'll leave some Robitussin and water for you. All I ask is that you try and eat something… and maybe take a shower. You reek."

I smiled and swatted at the boy playfully, my green eyes closing in content as I rolled back over. "Go and shop, you big sissy. I'll be here."

* * *

The next time I woke up was due to the buzzing in my ear. I small, tired moan escaped my parted lips and I rubbed away the drool that had gathered at the corner of my mouth. "Wha—" I mumbled.

I had been dreaming of a certainty pointy-eared crush of mine. More specifically I was dreaming of his eyes. Nothing else. I admired how expressive they were and how long the lashes framing them were. Their color, though, was my favorite part. They were their own color; mixtures of teal, cobalt, baby blue, and even sea green coming together to form a fantastic combination. And the flecks of silver seen swimming in the iris around the pupil were electrifying, adding to the complexity that were Link's eyes.

The buzzing went off again.

It was my phone.

Reaching over to the bedside table, I grabbed the buzzing contraption and swiped the answer button. "Hello?" I asked, my voice garbled.

"Oh, sorry, little one," Bayonetta's voice reached my ear even through the static. "I didn't realize you were still asleep."

Confused, I looked towards the digital clock on the dresser. The flashing twelve o'clock on the screen was odd to see, and I instantly knew that wasn't right. The power must have flashed. I pulled the phone away from my face to look at the time. Nine-fifteen. That was better, but it still didn't feel right. Why was Bayonetta calling this late? Wasn't she and the others back by now?

"What's going on, Bayonetta?" I questioned, breaking the silence that had settled in the air.

"We've been caught up in a snow storm… the whole mountain has. The authorities have deemed it too dangerous to return. We've been provided with hotel rooms, though, so don't worry," she explained.

"Why are you only just calling now?"

"I've been calling the cabin for the last forty minutes, but the call won't go through. And I've been trying both yours and Link's phone, but with the spotty signal, I only just got through to you. It—"

"Wait! Link is here too?!" I interrupted. "I'm here with Link… all alone… during a snow storm."

A giggle resonated from the speaker. I could practically hear Bayonetta's smirk. She was wickedly pleased by the very idea of our situation, and it seemed she had already thought about that fact. "Yup," she cheered. "Isn't it fantastic! It's like the heavens themselves are trying to put you two together."

"Oh, this is going to end in disaster," I said, slapping a hand to my forehead.

"Are you joking? This couldn't be any better! Picture this," Bayonetta paused for dramatic effect, taking a breath at the same time. "The worst of the snow storm hits, neither of you can leave. Sick little you is shivering so badly and our heroic elf feels so bad for you. He takes you into his arms and brings you close to the fire where he kisses you ever so softly. You can do nothing to stop it as your too weak to do anything. Suddenly, you both grow hot, so you began to shed layers and then—"

"Okay! Okay!" I stopped her before she reached the… ahem… climax of her deluded fanfiction fantasy. I was feeling a little hot and flustered, and it wasn't just from the raging fever I sported. "What are you doing studying magic? You should me an author of romantic literature."

"It's a gift." Not much else was said between us. There wasn't much else to say really. Finally, Bayonetta spoke again. "In all seriousness, Ivy, be careful. If you guys need anything, please try to call or something. We'll be up there as soon as we can. Okay?"

I nodded, but answered with a simple "yeah" when I remembered she couldn't see me. We hung up shortly afterwards. I stayed sitting on the bed, my gaze glancing over to the table. Sure enough, a couple of pills and a glass of water were there, right where Shulk said they would be. The ice that had surely been in the glass, judging from the condensation on the outside, had all but melted down. I grabbed it and the Robitussin, swallowing it down in one gulp. I finished the water off and sighed.

Taking notice how cold it was up in the room, I shivered, drawing the blankets around me. It felt a little lonely up here as well. I strained my ears, listening for any sounds indicating that Link was even here. Nothing… _was_ Link even here?"

Drawing the blankets even tighter around myself, I stood, placing my feet on the cold hardwood floors. "Brr," I shivered. I immediately shoved my feet into my slippers. The cold still attempted to sneak its way through, but it was at least a little better. I began my descent to the lower level of the cabin, my legs aching in protest. They shook with each step I took, but I trudged on, somehow making it down the steps. "Hello?" I called out, hoping for an answer. I didn't want to be alone. "Link? Are you here?"

I didn't get an answer. Slowly, I made my way into the kitchen, then to the living room… Nothing. It was then that I heard the sound of running water being cut off. Where was it coming from? Was it coming from the bathroom? Did that mean Link had been in the shower or something?

I was given my answer as I rounded the next corner. I felt myself bump into a hard wall. But since when had a wall been put up there? At any rate, both the wall and I had been sent crashing down to the floor. A dull thud resonated all around, and I groaned. "Ow."

Placing my hand against the wall to push myself up, I noticed something strange. The wall itself felt very… fleshy… and damp. My eyes trailed upwards, noticing the tanned—slightly red—color of a toned pectoral. A hiss came from the wall as my hand slid upwards, and I moved my gaze away from the wall altogether… only it wasn't a wall… it was a _very_ naked Link, only a towel and part of my blanket to cover his most private regions, and I was laying on top of him.

"Oh, my God," I blushed. "I'm so sorry! I swear, I didn't see anything." I kept throwing apologies at him, stumbling over my limbs as I attempted to get up. I was _sooo_ embarrassed. Not from seeing a naked man, no. You weren't allowed to be embarrassed over that when you were an art student taking anatomical sketching. I was embarrassed from seeing a naked _Link_ … he was the problem.

Finally managing to separate from each other, Link refastened the towel around his waist before helping both me and himself up. "No worries," he said. "Accidents happen." Link took the time to study me. He suddenly placed his hand over my forehead. "Do you still have a fever?" I nodded, choosing to remain silent, not trusting myself to speak at the moment. I may still have a fever, but my redness wasn't just from that anymore. Ugh, this was turning into one of Bayonetta's fanfictions. "Why don't you go take a shower too?" Link suggested. "You'll feel better, and I'll have some food waiting for us when you get done."

"Okay," I said quietly. I retreated back upstairs to gather a fresh pair of clothes before returning back downstairs to head into the bathroom. Now that I wasn't near Link, I couldn't ignore just how hot the actual fever was making me feel. The added heat from Link's recent shower added to the feeling, making it feel muggy. It would get better once I was actually under the spray, though.

Turning the shower on and waiting for the water to heat back up, I took this time to undress and look at myself in the mirror. My green eyes were glassy and a little red around the edges and my skin was unnaturally pale. I didn't look good.

Stepping into the shower, I sighed in content as the warm water beat down on my shoulders, relaxing my sore muscles and achy bones. It felt so good under the streaming water. I didn't want to leave. Slowly, I began washing my hair, the mint smelling shampoo wafting into my nose. It was refreshing. I went to start bathing my actual body when I suddenly broke down into a coughing fit. When did it get so cold in here?

I had never noticed how the water temperature dropped thanks to my fever, but it was seeping into my bones now… rapidly. I wrapped my arms around myself, shivering, unable to move as my body was wracked with coughs. All at once, I slipped. I cried out as I fell, dragging the curtain with me, my ankle bending in a way that wasn't natural, a snap having been heard. Lights danced behind my retinas as I hit my head against the side of the tub. I gasped, then coughed some more.

"Ivy?!" Link shouted, banging on the door. "Are you okay?!"

I wasn't okay. Not by a long shot. And I suddenly didn't care that I was naked. I was in pain, I couldn't move, and I needed help. "Link," I groaned weakly. I felt so heavy. Was this from my illness? I've never been this bad off before. Why hadn't I taken notice?

Link, I knew, could hear the desperateness and fear in my voice. He began banging on the door harder and harder until it finally gave way. His eyes widened as he spotted me collapsed in the shower. "Dammit," he swore. Rushing over to me, he quickly turned off the running water before sitting me up. "God, you're freezing!" he exclaimed, grabbing a towel.

"Wha-why is it s-so c-cold?" I whimpered, unconsciously pulling the curtain higher up my body. "Why d-did the w-water get so c-cold?"

Link started to rub the towel up and down my arms and over my head before lifting me out of the bathtub to wrap it around me, trying to grant me as much modesty as he could. "The pipes must be freezing over. And I probably used up most of the hot water that was sitting in the tank and radiator." Bringing me to the living room, I was set down in front of the fireplace. Link left, returning seconds later with an armful of blankets, wrapping me in them. He then situated himself behind me, pulling me in between his legs to have an easier time at rubbing some heat back into my skin. "I'm sorry, Ivy."

I shook my head. "I-It's okay." The mood was thick with an awkward tension. I needed to break it somehow. "Well," I began. "I-I saw you naked, and n-now y-you saw me n-naked. I-I guess we're e-even."

At the sound of Link's laughter, I smiled softly, my teeth chattering. "I guess you're right." Link stopped rubbing and moved to sit in front of me. "Let's have a look at your ankle." Extending it from the safe confines of the blanket, Link took it in his hands gingerly. It was swollen and turning an ugly shade of purple and blue. "Definitely broken," he said. He traced down the side of my ankle with the tip of his finger. "Luckily, it appears to have reset itself during the fall. At least there's that bit of good news. There's got to be an ankle brace in here somewhere." Link ran into the bathroom, no doubt searching through the first aid kit. He came back, brace in hand, and quickly fastened it around my ankle. "We'll have to wait out the storm before we can get you some medical attention."

I nodded, tiredly, eyelids drooping. "Tired?" Link asked, taking notice of my state. I nodded again. I closed my eyes for what seemed like a second, but it must have been longer. For the next time, I opened them, I was being lifted onto a mattress that had been dragged into the living room. It looked like the one from Palutena's room. "Do you think you can get dressed?" I shook my head weakly, not even able to move a finger. Link seemed to understand. He retrieved my clothes from the bathroom and started to unwrap me from my cocoon of warmth. "Forgive me," he said, sitting me up. "I'll try not to look."

Carefully, Link dressed me in the clothes I had set out for myself before easing me back down on the mattress. He fluffed my pillow and tucked about two comforters and three throw blankets around me. I was fading into dreamland fast. I barely heard him mutter about returning to his cooking before I drifted to sleep. My last conscious thought was that Bayonetta would be so pleased.

* * *

"Ivy, wake up." Link was sitting beside the mattress, bowl of steaming soup in hand. I attempted to lift my head up, only for it to flop back down like a baby bird's, so weak and pitiful. "Hey, don't push yourself. It's okay." Link set the bowl down to prop me up on my pillows before he picked the bowl back up, ladling out a spoonful of soup. "Say ah," he instructed.

I opened my mouth obediently, the spoon being pushed past my lips. The warm trickle of the soup felt wonderful on my sore throat. And it was so good too. Link should seriously consider changing his major from law enforcement to the culinary arts. I received another bite, accidently letting a moan slip out. I blushed, but Link just smiled.

"Glad to know you like the soup," he chuckled.

Link gave me a few more spoonful's of soup until I shook my head, insisting that I couldn't eat anymore. I could literally feel my strength, returning to me. "I'm sorry… you're stuck taking care of me," I apologized. "I wish I wasn't so much of a burden to you."

Shaking his head, Link offered me a glass of water. "You're not a burden. It's not your fault that you're sick. In fact, I consider it a good thing that I'm here. You might still be laying in that tub, freezing, if I wasn't here." I nodded, understanding his reasoning. Link cracked a smile. "Besides, you're giving me something to do."

I smiled softly, but it quickly fell when the sounds of whirling wind caught my interest. It sounded really bad out there. At the very least, it was getting worse. Link noticed my distraction and rose to peek out a window. He whistled. "It's getting really bad out there… I think I should bring in some more lumber and board up the windows."

"Okay. Be careful out there. Make sure you bundle up."

"I will," Link said, tucking his pants into his snow boots. He pulled on his coat and beanie, then grabbed his scarf and gloves. "I'll be back soon." Link headed out into the snow.

I sat there listening to the sounds of the storm and the gentle knocks of the hammer boarding up the windows. The sound of the hammer was almost rhythmic in way, lulling me into a state of numb consciousness. I shivered, turning my head towards the fireplace. The fire inside wasn't as big as it was previously. Link would need to throw a few longs on it when he returned. That's when I noticed the box by the fireplace, the metal frame glinting in the firelight.

Reaching over with what little strength I had regained, I pulled the box towards me. It was an old antenna radio, I deduced. Link must have been using it to gauge the storm while I was asleep. I would imagine the storm knocked the satellite TV out.

Flipping the little radio on, it whirred to life, static coming through the speaker before I could finally hear voices. Even then, they were muddled and hard to understand. "… news… extreme… hor… blizzard… not safe… evacuate… mountain…" The signal went dead. From how it sounded, the snow storm had gotten worse, forming into a full scale blizzard. People still on the mountain were advised to evacuate. That was impossible for Link and I, though. Our friends had the car, and there was no possible way we could make it down the mountain on foot. We'd freeze before we even got to the halfway point.

Moments later, Link came rushing back in the cabin, armfuls upon armfuls of logs in his arms. He set them down in the iron wrack, dusting snow off of himself. "We've got bad news. Whoever was supposed to chop more wood before heading into town failed to do so, and the axe has been buried somewhere in all that snow. I'm bringing in what we have. We'll have to conserve it."

"You're going to hate what I have to tell you, then," I said. At Link's raised eyebrow, I continued. "We're in a really bad blizzard. From what I could make out from the radio broadcast, they're telling people that are still on the mountain to evacuate."

Link huffed in annoyance. "Well, that's just great. How are we supposed to get out then?"

I shrugged, flipping the radio off and setting it aside. The radio suddenly reminded me of my phone, and in turn, it reminded me of my conversation with Bayonetta. "Link, will you go get my phone?" I asked him.

"Sure, though I'm not so sure how much it will help us now." The pointy-eared man headed up to my room, his footsteps echoing on the wooden staircase. Out of nowhere, the lights flashed and everything went dark, aside from the light of the fire. Something fell over upstairs, crashing and shattering against the floor. It went deathly quiet.

"Link?" I called out. When I didn't get an answer, I started to panic, fearing that Link was what had fallen and he had hit his head hard enough to knock him out. "Link?!"

"Hey!" he called back, walking back down the stairs, flashlight in hand. "It's okay. I'm here." He motioned to the prize in his arms. "I found some flashlights and lanterns when I went to get your phone. Glad I did too." He set down his prize and handed me my phone. "What do you plan to do?"

I unlocked the phone and immediately went to the messaging system. I wasn't foolish enough to think a call would go through, but if my phone ever caught a signal it would send a message pretty quickly without using much battery. I voiced my plan to Link and put my phone on hibernate to conserve its life. "What do we do now?" I asked after a moment of relative silence.

Link looked back at the door. The look in his eye was one filled with hope. Hope that someone would march through that door and help us. "We wait out the storm."

* * *

A day had passed and the blizzard hadn't lightened up in the slightest. Though I was still sick, I had regained at least some of my strength, and insisted that I helped Link gather what we could. He had no choice and did not refuse me.

My ankle was tender, so I settled for gathering up every blanket, pillow, and any clothes I could find in the cabinet. I even grabbed a few more mattresses from the rooms of our friends. Link, on the other hand, had gathered up buckets and buckets of snow early this morning that we could use as water in a pinch. We weren't able to gather anymore, though, as the blizzard had sealed off every entrance to the cabin. We were completely snowed in, so Link settled for moving all of the food besides the stuff from the fridge into the living room, where we had basically set up a camp, as well as breaking any furniture that we could use as firewood.

"What a way to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas, huh?" I said dryly, pulling my many layers even tighter around me as I shivered.

He threw a couple of chair legs into the blaze, snorting as he did so. "You can say that again."

I decided to break the tension. "So whose Secret Santa were you this year?"

Link grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"I do. That's why I asked."

He laughed. "Not telling. I can't have you spoiling the surprise."

Another silence, though comfortable, settled around us. It was immediately broken however by a shattering noise and the howling wind. The storm had broken through one of the boarded up windows in the back room, spitting snow and hail into the house. Link and I bolted up out of our spots, rushing—I was more likely hobbling—to the room to try and shut the door. When we had managed to do that, I crammed the throw pillows from the couch under the door, filling up the gap.

"Damn," I swore. "Dammit all to Hell! That's the third window broken! How is that even possible?"

Link hummed in contemplation. "The wind is probably picking up stones and throwing them against the house. We just can't hear it over the howling of it."

It made sense. The thing was that I didn't want it to make sense. I didn't want any of this to make sense. I wanted to be out of here, back with our friends where nothing made sense and that was okay. I just… I just was so tired.

I returned to the living room and threw more furniture on the fire. We had gone through our entire lumber reserve last night. If it wasn't for Link's quick thinking to burn the furniture, we'd be running on fumes by now.

Flopping over onto my mattress, I buried myself in blankets, creating a warm pocket of air. "Do we have any more of that soup you made?" I asked from beneath the blankets, my voice muffled.

"No," Link answered. "We finished it off this morning."

 _Great. More bad news. How could things possibly get any worse… aaaand I probably just jinxed us._ My thoughts were in disarray. If I didn't die from the cold or starvation, I was sure I was going to go insane. Link would surely abandon me then to save his own skin. _No, that's a lie. Link wouldn't abandon me. He's already done so much for me. That alone proves that he wouldn't abandon me. God, I'm such a loser._

A tapping sensation on my shoulder drew me out from my hovel. Link was sitting beside me, a can of ravioli in his hands. I took it gratefully, not caring that it was cold and we had no real way to heat it up over the fire. "You're an angel," I told him in between bites.

Link chuckled, tipping his own can back, swallowing the dumplings inside. His laughter sent shivers down my spine—the good kind—and a heat to my belly. Link was so kind and such a warm-natured person. I was lucky that it was him trapped here with me… wow, that sounded really bad. I mean, it sucks that he's trapped here with me and all, but I'm grateful for him and to him.

Turning back to said man, I noticed how he stared at the analog clock on the wall. It still ticked away, unaffected by the cold. "What is it?" I asked him.

"Six o'clock is close enough to the actual even of Christmas Eve, right? So what do you say we open our presents?" he decided out of the blue. Reaching behind him, Link unexpectedly pulled out a gift with my name written in his neat script. "Merry Christmas," he said, smiling.

I gaped at him. "You were my Secret Santa?" He nodded, still smiling. I took the present from him and eagerly tore into it. Inside was a set of very expensive oil paints. I gasped. "Link, it's too much! I thought we weren't supposed to spend over twenty dollars? You should have saved that money!"

He shrugged. "It's my money, I'll spend it how I want. Besides, you deserved something good."

I sighed. "Well, it's kind of fitting, I suppose. I spent more than twenty dollars as well." I was actually Link's Secret Santa, strangely enough. It was kind of poetic.

"I know," Link admitted.

My head snapped up, not believing what I just heard. "What do you mean you know?"

Link winced. "I kind of already opened my present… and I saw your card in the bottom… and you left the price tag on."

"Link!" I scolded.

He simply shrugged again, pursing his lips as he reached inside and pulled out the pair of walkie-talkies I had purchased. "I really like them," he said. "It's a shame that someone else doesn't have one of them, though. We could have been saved."

My brows furrowed in confusion, a little anger mixed in. "Why are you speaking as though we're already dead?"

"Aren't we, though? I mean, the snow has already piled up as high as the roof. It's only a matter of time now."

Fury and rage like I had never known built up inside me. And in that instant, I let all of it release in the form of a powerful slap, energy practically bursting out of my every pore. Link looked stunned, a red handprint on the side of his face, blotching over his cheek. "How dare you just give up like that! How dare you try to provide for us and keep us alive only for you to throw in the towel! Who do you think you are to decide our fate like that?!"

Tears welled up in his eyes, and Link's head hung in shame, his blonde hair falling forwards. "I-I'm sorry," he murmured. "I don't know what came over me."

I sighed. "Despair. Despair is what came over you." I threw more wood onto the fire. "Just shake it out, Link. Don't let it overtake you." He settled for a nod, growing silent.

Another wave of exhaustion suddenly swamped me, and I lay back down on the mattress, bundling up in the covers. I was so tired, and not just physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes and soon came in a torrential flood. They wouldn't stop, so I simply cried myself to sleep.

* * *

It was so cold… I was so cold… why was it so cold? Groaning, I attempted to open my eyes only to find that they were still shut, my tears from last night having sealed them shut with ice. "Oh, God," I whimpered. I didn't dare force my eyes open. I could possibly rip my eyelids.

"Ivy? What is it?" Link asked sleepily.

"My eyes," I answered, fear easing into my voice. "They've frozen shut!"

"What?" Link panicked. I felt him move onto the mattress, his gloved hands grabbing the sides of my face. "Hold still," he said. I felt Link's warm breath against my face as he breathed out deeply. The warmth of his breath was hitting my eyelids. He was trying to defrost them. I felt him rub at my eyes with his thumbs. The seal finally broke and my eyes snapped open. The room was dark; the fire had finally died out.

"Thank you," I said quietly, hugging Link, shivering against him. "I was so scared."

"It's okay," he returned. His hands moved up and down my back. "You're so cold."

My teeth chattered. "So are you." I hesitated, a question on the end of my tongue. "Link, will you lay with me?" I asked, blinking away some of the remaining frost on my lashes.

I felt him nod. "Yeah, okay." We lay back down on the mattress, Link curling up around me as he bundled us up. "You know, we shouldn't sleep. We might never wake up if we do." I nodded, knowing he was right. "Why don't we talk instead? We're friends, but we don't know anything really personal about each other."

"Okay," I said. "What do you want to know?"

"Have you ever been in love?"

The question caught me off guard. Link did say he wanted to know more personal things, though, so I supposed I could indulge him. Just a little bit, anyway. So I nodded. "Yeah."

"How did you know you were in love?" he continued.

I smiled sadly. "Because I could feel my heart breaking when I saw him with someone else."

"Have you told him?" I shook my head. "Is he someone I know?" A nod. "Are you still friends with him?" Another nod. Link was suddenly over me, his face just barely visible in the dark. His brow was scrunched up in confusion. "How can you possibly stay friends with this guy if he was with someone else and is totally oblivious to your feelings?"

"That's one of the perks of being a friend," I told him. "You get to remain by the one you love, even if it's not in the way you want it to be."

Link huffed, settling back down, his arms reestablishing their place around my waist. "I would be so much better for you than whoever this loser is," he muttered, his voice breathy in my ear.

That drew my attention. I stiffened. "What?"

"I would be so much better for you," Link reiterated. "I've been so in love with you for the longest time, but was so afraid to say anything to you. I even begged Shulk to convince you to go on this trip, and I bribed him so we could be each other's Secret Santa."

My face was surely tomato red, and while it was a sweet sentiment, I couldn't help but laugh weakly. "Link, you moron! They guy you're jealous of is yourself! I've been in love with you since I saw you freshman year."

"You're kidding me," Link groaned. "Ugh, I'm such an idiot!... Although, I don't recall ever being with a girl during college."

"Really?" I questioned. "She was really beautiful, though. Long, blonde hair. Tall and lithe. She even had in some pretty funky red contacts."

Link was suddenly overcome with a fit of laughter. He rolled away from me, clutching his stomach. He was practically wheezing. "Ha! That—ah—wasn't a woman! That was Sheik, Zelda's boyfriend."

My jaw dropped. "B-But… but…" I stuttered. "He kissed you on the cheek!"

He laughed some more, though it wasn't for as long. "Sheik's European. His father was from Italy and his mother was Japanese. When he was born, they made a permanent home in Italy. It's common for Italians to greet each other with a kiss on the cheek."

"Ugh, I'm so embarrassed."

"Don't be," Link said. "Now that I think about it, Sheik does look a little like girl with that long, blonde hair of his. And he's so thin and shapely." Link situated himself behind me again, resting his nose against my hair. "Does this mean we can finally be in a relationship?" he asked.

"God, yes."

"Good, because I really want to kiss you right now." And he did. While his lips were cold and chapped, the kiss was ever so warm. Our tongues danced between us, sharing heat, and I saw sparks dancing behind my eyelids, a faux heat coursing through me. We parted, our breathing labored. "Well, that's one way to heat up a room."

Oh, God, he sounded just like Bayonetta. Speaking of her… "You know, since we're dating now, you should know that Bayonetta writes fanfiction about us."

"Really?"

I shook my head up and down vigorously. "Oh, yes. And they're all extremely dirty and lewd. She makes me proofread all of them." I chuckled lightly.

Link made a tsking noise with his tongue. "Now, I just have to read them. I can't have someone putting dirty thoughts into your mind. That's my job now. Might actually give me a few ideas in the long run too."

I faked a gasp and playfully slapped Link's arm. We soon settled into silence. Link drew me closer, wrapping his arms tightly around me. "Link?"

"Hmm?"

"We're going to die, aren't we?"

It was the question of the day and it hung over our heads like a pendulum, swinging back and forth threateningly. Neither one of us wanted be strong or brave anymore. We were both just so tired. That much could be proven from the violent tremors that wracked our bodies. "Probably," he answered at last.

"I'm sorry for slapping you earlier," I apologized.

"It's okay." He paused. "Ivy, if we really don't make it through this… I hope you know that I love you, always have, and I was a fool to not tell you sooner."

"The same goes for me, Link. I love you too, now and until the end of time. Though it looks like our time is almost up."

Link kissed my temple softly as he intertwined our fingers. "Merry Christmas, Ivy."

"Merry Christmas, Link."

* * *

White.

White all around. And it was so warm. Was this heaven? Were we dead?

No.

The smell of antiseptics reached my nose, burning my nostrils. Slowly, my eyes parted, revealing sterile tiles above me. _This is… am I in a hospital? We were saved?_

I tried to talk, but my throat was so sore and my mouth was so dry. I couldn't form nary a word. I settled for a couple of groans and attempted to sit up. The groaning did the trick. A nurse appeared in my line of sight in a matter of seconds, easing my head back down onto the poor excuse for a pillow. She spooned crushed ice into my mouth, and I chewed slowly, enjoying the way the coolness soothed my throat.

"There you go, dear," she spoke gently. "Do you know where you are?"

"Hos…pi…tal," I rasped.

"And do you know who you are and what happened?"

I nodded slowly, my head pounding with a migraine. This always happened to me when I woke up from narcotics. "Ivy… Fairfield… blizzard hit… trapped." I winced, my throat still sore.

The nurse nodded approvingly. She gave me a bit more ice. "Good, good. Your memory checks out. I'll just fill in the gaps for you." Nurse Shirley, as her nametag read, sat down in a chair beside the hospital bed. She reached over and messed with a few buttons on the machines monitoring my levels before turning back to me. "This was one of the worst blizzards I've ever seen. The last one that even came close to its levels was over fifty years ago."

That meant the blonde nurse was well into her late fifties or early sixties. She was much older than she looked… not that it mattered. I motioned for her to continue.

"When the rescue team found you and your friend, you were wrapped around each other, no doubt huddling for warmth. You two were suffering from hypothermia and frostbite—neither one of you lost any fingers or toes, by the way—and you, specifically, have going through pneumonia and appear to have had it for a good while. Your ankle is also broken."

I ate some more ice. "How did the, ugh, team find us?"

"Your friends in town told them. Thanks to your quick thinking, when your phone actually found signal—though I'm not sure how it did in that storm—it sent the message you texted to one of your friends. When she read that you were still trapped up on the mountain, she immediately went for one of the search and rescue teams." Nurse Shirley stood. "Funny thing, though, is that the team may have never have found you if it wasn't from the smoke rising from the chimney. The cabin was completely covered in snow. It took hours to dig the door out in that storm. And when they got inside, the fire was just barely burning. Talk about a true Christmas Miracle."

My eyes widened, and I was taken aback. "That shouldn't be possible," I informed, my throat feeling a little better. "We were awake at one point and the fire had completely gone out. Neither one of us could really gather up the energy to move and get it started again." I was dumbfounded, baffled, stupefied!

The nurse shrugged. "Maybe it sparked up again… I'll send in your friends now." She left, the door closing behind her with a soft click, leaving me with my swirling thoughts.

How could the fire possibly sparked up again? Not only was it pretty unlikely, there was nothing in the pit but ashes and dying embers. There was nothing for it to catch fire to. It looked like it had been out for a while too, so there shouldn't have been any lingering smoke… so how—

The door reopened, interrupting my thought process. My friends came rushing in, tears in their eyes. "Ivy!" Shulk cried, not hesitating to awkwardly throw his arms around my neck. "I'm so glad you're alive! I—we—were so worried! I'll never try to talk you into doing something again!" That wasn't true. There would always be something Shulk would try to convince me to do, but I appreciated the sentiment.

Palutena and Pit were next, neither of them could really speak. Both of them were blubbering messes. Next came Robin and Lucina. Neither of knew what to say as they weren't really touchy-feely kind of people and they weren't great with emotional situations. "I'm… uh… glad you're safe," Lucina said to me. "I kind of began to think the worst around Christmas Eve."

"Yeah," Robin had agreed. "I've… lost so many friends and family already. I don't know what I would have done if I lost you and Link."

I smiled and thanked them, watching as they sat down in the chairs against the wall. Samus didn't say anything at all, simply choosing to watch from the wall. She did give me a nod of the head and a soft smile, though. We weren't the greatest of friends. We found it hard to get along with each other, but I was happy to see her care.

Roy was a completely different story. The redhead grinned as he approached me, ruffling my hair. "Glad you and the elf are still with us!" he laughed. Ever the optimist. "It would have been boring without you guys." I chuckled as well, enjoying the brightness he brought to the sterile room. "When do you guys get out of here?"

My shoulders heaved up and then dropped in a shrug. "No idea. I just woke up a few minutes ago."

The redhead nodded, letting Bayonetta take up residence beside the bed. "Hey," she said softly. It was a bit out of character for the flamboyant woman.

"Hey," I returned.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like crap, but anyone in my situation would be."

Bayonetta smiled, a quiet laugh coming from her. She rubbed at the circles under her baby blues. "It's been hard being separated from you. I was so happy when I got that text."

I scratched at my scalp, feeling itchy and a bit greasy. "I'll admit it, I'm not even sure how the phone picked up any signal, but I'm glad I sent something." I swallowed the lump trying to form in my throat. "How's Link holding up?" I tentatively asked.

The raven haired woman grew silent, her eyes downcast. "He hasn't woken up yet. His vitals checked out okay, but the doctors are confused as to why he hasn't shown signs of waking up. Logically, it was you that shouldn't have woken up so soon. You were the worse for wear." Nodding in understanding, I sighed, having grown a little depressed. Bayonetta evidently sensed my change in mood as she gained a lilt to her voice in the hopes of changing it. "So, speaking of our little Christmas elf, did anything happen?" she questioned.

I smiled. "Maybe," I said cheekily.

The others all ooed like five-year-olds, Bayonetta grinning like a cat. "Oh, is that so. Got lost in throws of passion, did we?"

I laughed, holding up my hand. "Nothing like that, but we did kiss. And… we're in a relationship, or… we will be once he wakes up."

Bayonetta smiled. "Why don't we go visit the elf? Maybe he'll wake up."

I nodded as she grabbed a wheel chair. "Okay."

* * *

Link and I were left to ourselves in his room. He lay sleeping on the bed, quiet and peaceful. He looked… dead. If it weren't for the rise and fall of his chest, or the heart monitors steady beats, I might have thought he was. But that was a terrifying thought, so I pushed far back in my mind.

Wheeling myself closer, I parked the chair at Link's side, taking his hand in mine. I squeezed it as strong as I could in my weak and tired state. He didn't squeeze back. I watched as Link slept, brushing away his hair with my free hand, smiling softly. It felt like hours, and I eventually dosed off, my head resting on the bed at his side. It was when I felt shaky fingers running through my hair did I wake up with a jolt.

"Link," I breathed, eyes wide with shock. Said man smiled tiredly, his hand still perched on my head.

"Hey," he rasped, voice rough and scratchy. "How are you feeling?"

I gasped. "How am I feeling? I'm fine. I woke up an hour ago. I should be asking how you're feeling."

His smile broadened, hand dropping back on the bed. A pink, undoubtedly dry, tongue stuck out of his mouth to lick his lips before returning back inside with a smack. "Tired. Itchy. Crappy." Link squeezed my hand, it having still been draped over his palm. "I could get used to this."

I grew confused, raising my eyebrow. "Get used to what?" I asked. "Dying? Cause according to the nurse, we shouldn't even be alive. It was a miracle they even found us."

Link shook his head, his smile never wavering. "No," he said. "I could get used to you being the first thing I see when I wake up." I blushed, my head turning away. Link simply reached out and grabbed my chin, turning my face back towards him. "You're quite a welcome sight to wake up to. And I'm absolutely in love with your morning hair too."

My laugh echoed around the room. "Can you get used to my morning breath too? Cause I really want to kiss you," I said, repeating the words Link spoke to me back in the cabin.

He hummed, feigning thought. "I suppose, I could get used to it. It might take a while, though."

"You suppose?"

"Just kiss me, Ivy."

Leaning down, I placed a gentle, chaste kiss on his lips, not staying longer than a few seconds. It was soft and sweet, and it said everything I wanted to say out loud and so much more. It was one of those one in a million kisses that just left you smiling with a tingle on your lips.

Our time together didn't last much longer. A flood of nurses and other medical staff came running into the room, having heard us talking. They bombarded Link with questions on how he was feeling and I was wheeled back to my room. That was okay, though. We had the rest of our lives to spend together now that we had found each other.

Now that… was a true Christmas Miracle.

* * *

 **I feel so satisfied now. This was such a fun one-shot to write. I'm glad I did. It practically wrote itself.**

 **I really hope you guys enjoyed.**

 **Leave me a few likes and reviews if you enjoyed that too. And Merry Christmas!**


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